The highest tide this monsoon is expected to hit the shores on Thursday at 1:44 pm. The tide is expected to be 4.95 metre high. Bhavika Jain reports.

The highest tide this monsoon is expected to hit the shores on Thursday at 1:44 pm. The tide is expected to be 4.95 metre high.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has deployed additional lifeguards along with officials from the fire brigade to patrol the six beaches in the city.

Officials from the civic body are saying the high tide will aggravate the oil spill, as the oil will get washed ashore with the tidal water leaving a thick layer of residue on the coast.

“We will deploy four to five firemen in addition to the lifeguards on all the beaches across the city,” said Chief Fire Officer Uday Tatkare.

The six beaches along which the additional deployment will be arranged are Gorai, Versova, Madh, Marve, Juhu and Aksa.

Since there have been several drowning incidents this monsoon, as a precaution, these lifeguards will alert visitors against venturing into the sea two hours before and after the high tide.

Civic officials said there could be flooding in several low-lying areas if it rains heavily during the high tide on Thursday. This happens as the floodwater cannot be flushed out to the sea.

But locals residing near these beaches and along the other parts of the coastline are worried about the oil that the tide is likely to bring on the shore.

“The tidal water will act like a carrier of the fuel oil in the water, affecting a larger area of the coastline,” said an official from the Mumbai Pollution Control Board (MPCB).

Officials from the Directorate General of Shipping said the tide will provide the vessel MSC Chitra with more ballast water and will help stabilise the ship. The ship is currently at around 75 degree. The high tide might contaminate the coastline further, but will help in balancing the ship.

Municipal Commissioner Swadheen Kshatriya said they have alerted the lifeguards patrolling the beaches and have appealed to citizens not to take eatables that come floating from the containers of MSC Chitra. If anyone spots any such material they should inform the civic body about it.